Bart has missed the last four-plus weeks after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture

Share this:

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – APRIL 13: Buster Posey #28 of the San Francisco Giants hits an RBI double scoring Steven Duggar #6 against the Colorado Rockies in the bottom of the third inning of a Major League Baseball game at Oracle Park on April 13, 2019 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

PHOENIX — For the last week and a half, both the current and future faces of the San Francisco Giants have been sidelined with serious injuries.

After a nine-day absence, catcher Buster Posey returned to the Giants on Friday and will hit third in the team’s series-opener against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Posey suffered a concussion after taking a foul ball off the side of his catcher’s mask on Sunday, May 5 in Cincinnati and missed the club’s last six games after being placed on the seven-day concussion injured list last Wednesday.

Posey was joined in the visiting clubhouse at Chase Field by the organization’s top prospect and his eventual replacement, Joey Bart, who was in town to check in with the Giants’ training staff. Bart has been on the injured list at Single-A San Jose since mid-April after he was hit by a pitch that fractured his left hand on April 15.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said last week the training staff believed Posey’s concussion was mild and after Posey passed out of concussion protocol on Thursday, he was cleared to return.

“Buster is doing well, he came in yesterday and we checked him out,” Bochy said. “All was good and we optioned (Aramis Garcia) back to Sacramento to make room for Buster. It’s good to have him back.”

Bart has missed more than a month of his first full professional season after undergoing surgery to repair a fracture of the second metacarpal, located in his left index finger. After hitting .270 with an .882 OPS in his first 10 games for Single-A San Jose, Bart isn’t expected to return to action for at least another week.

Giants trainer Dave Groeschner said Bart will likely begin rehab games in extended spring training at the end of May or beginning of June as he started playing catch three-to-four days ago. The mere fact the Giants brought Bart to Arizona to check in on the catching prospect shows how much they value him.

It’s extremely rare for a minor league player to appear in a big league clubhouse unless he’s preparing to be activated, but with Bart rehabbing at the Giants’ complex in Scottsdale, the major league training staff wanted to take a look at him.

Bart’s injury significantly reduces his chances of earning his first major league call-up at the end of the season, but the Giants could overhaul a significant portion of their roster via trade this summer and may be inclined to give fans a taste of the future if Bart’s late-season performance merits a promotion.

It’s far more likely Bart will make his Giants debut in 2020, leaving the offseason for the organization to consider how it will manage the catching situation. Posey is under contract through 2021 and may be more open to playing first base more frequently in the future after suffering his second documented concussion.

Giants make a change in the outfield

After being traded from Toronto to San Francisco at the end of the first week of the season, Kevin Pillar has played exclusively in center field.

That will change Friday as Bochy is shifting Pillar to right field so the club can evaluate how their outfield looks with Steven Duggar in center field and Pillar in a corner. Duggar opened the year as the team’s starting center fielder, but moved to right upon Pillar’s arrival because he possessed more recent experience playing right field.

Bochy said he spoke with Pillar about the change on Friday and did not say whether the change was permanent. Duggar ranks fourth among all major league outfielders with seven Defensive Runs Saved according to FanGraphs, while Pillar is tied for 53rd with -2 Defensive Runs Saved.

Longoria out, Sandoval in

Bochy said he’s motivated to keep Pablo Sandoval’s bat in the lineup, but that’s not why Sandoval is starting at third base on Friday.

Third baseman Evan Longoria came down with “a bug” according to Bochy and was sick on Friday. Longoria was in the clubhouse and may be available off the bench if needed.

Ramos, Black progressing

Bart isn’t the only top prospect on the shelf as the Single-A San Jose lineup is missing both of its top bats. No. 2 overall prospect Heliot Ramos has been out since April 24 with a sprained left knee and is on a similar progression to Bart.

The Single-A Giants should expect Ramos back around the beginning of June, according to Groeschner. Ramos hit five home runs in his first 19 games with San Jose and owns a 1.009 OPS in the California League this year.

Pitcher Ray Black threw an inning in extended spring training on Friday and could be ready to return to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats in the near future. Black has been out since April 18 with a right forearm strain.

Kerry Crowley is a multimedia beat reporter covering the San Francisco Giants. He spent his early days throwing curveballs in San Francisco’s youth leagues before studying journalism at Arizona State University. Kerry has covered every level of baseball, from local preps to the Cape Cod League, and is now on a quest to determine which Major League city serves the best cheeseburger.